This K01 mentored scientist development award application is designed to provide the necessary training and research experience that will prepare Dr. Anatchkova for becoming an independent investigator. The immediate objectives of the didactic component are: 1) increased knowledge in patient-reported outcomes (PRO) and assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) with an emphasis on role functioning across the life-span; 2) proficiency in advanced latent variable modeling and the use of item response theory (IRT); 3) practical skills in the use of computer adaptive testing (CAT) technology; and 4) consolidated publication track record. These training goals will be achieved through active mentored research on assessment of role functioning, participation in seminars and workshops, and mentor-directed readings. Role functioning, or the degree to which an individual performs or has the capacity to perform activities typical for a specified age and social responsibility, is an important construct in the assessment of HRQOL, but is hard to assess due to the wide definition of roles, the constant shift in role scripts, and fluctuations in role participation across the life-span. Existing measures of role functioning are rather crude, since they address these challenges by either focusing on a limited role range or by asking very general questions that could be attributed to all roles of an individual. The use of IRT and CAT make it possible to overcome these challenges and lead to role functioning measures that are flexible, yet comprehensive and precise. The goal of this research proposal is to conduct preliminary work towards developing such a measure and to pilot test a calibrated item pool with computer adaptive technology. The specific aims of the proposed research project are the following: Aim 1: Develop an item bank for an improved measure of role functioning that takes into account the variation in social roles across the adult lifespan and gender; Aim 2: Conduct studies to calibrate the items in the bank to a common metric and evaluate the bank through CAT simulation studies; Aim 3: Implement a CAT system for individualized assessment of role functioning and evaluate the CAT system in a field test. The item bank will be developed through analyses and extensive revisions of existing tools, and through qualitative studies comparing groups in different stages of life and social situation. The item bank will be calibrated using data from samples from general population (n=1,000) and from population with selected chronic conditions (n=1,000). A field test of the CAT system will be conducted with a general population sample (n=180) and chronic condition sufferers patients (n=180). The proposed measure will increase score precision in clinical assessment and will be comprehensive - taking into account the influence of life stage and circumstances on role participation and functioning. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]